Jaguar Deftly Updates XF for 2012, Unveils XF Sportbrake for the U.K.

It’s a testament to the mechanical excellence and enduring beauty of Jaguar ’s XF that five years after its debut it remains a supremely compelling choice among executive-class sedans, squaring off against the new Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. This year, building on its midsize momentum, Jaguar unveils the XF Sportbrake, its first station wagon since the best-forgotten X-Type Sportwagon of 2004. Masterfully building on the XF sedan’s winning looks, the Sportbrake lands in Jaguar showrooms in the United Kingdom this fall. At this point, the company has no plans to bring the car to America, which is a genuine shame; it’s a beauty. Just of two-tenths of an inch longer than the sedan and a modest 154 pounds heavier, the Sportbrake gives up none of the XF’s oft-praised road manners. Although the XF Sportbrake’s Atlantic crossing seems iffy at best, the U.S.-...